Hop Horizons
Beer Information
John O'Groat's Brewery: Liberty Groat
This New World pale ale is/was brewed by John O'Groat's Brewery in John O’Groats, Caithness, Scotland. It's achieved an overall score of 39.38%. Based on 1 tasting, the average ABV is 5.30%.
Already, Always is a 6.5% hazy IPA from Track, pairing the familiar intensity of Citra with the more unusual character of experimental hop HBC 1019.
It pours a dense, glowing yellow under a soft white head. The nose gets going straight away – lime, grapefruit and ripe tropical fruit, joined by peach, sweet orange and an intriguing hint of coconut.
Citra lays the bright citrus foundation: tangy grapefruit, lime zest and gooseberry first, then softer mango and passion fruit. HBC 1019 brings the sweetness and the interest – ripe peach, Mediterranean orange and a creamy coconut note that grows as the beer warms.
The body is full, fluffy and exceptionally smooth, carrying all that fruit without getting heavy. The bitterness is kept in check so the sweeter hop flavours stay up front, though grapefruit peel and a faint herbal edge give the finish some welcome definition.
At 6.5% it has enough about it to feel substantial while staying far more approachable than Track's bigger doubles. The alcohol is almost entirely buried under the soft texture and saturated fruit, which makes it particularly easy to drink.
It's another polished demonstration of what Track do with hazy IPA. Citra supplies the dependable citrus and tropical fruit, but it's the HBC 1019 that gives the beer its personality – peach, orange and coconut folded in without ever tasting artificial or disjointed.
Soft, vibrant and beautifully integrated – a generously hopped IPA with instant juiciness up front and enough unusual detail to reward taking your time.
Review This Beer
Had this beer? Share a quick thought.
No account needed — just type a line or two below, that's all it takes. Want to add scores, ABV or where you had it? Open the extras underneath. Reviews are checked before appearing on the site.
Images of This Beer in the Logbooks
(My apologies if there are any data issues resulting in incorrect page images. Please let me know if you find something wrong.)
In Book 1014 on page 15 (visualisation):
Beer Listing
| Date and Time | Container | Pub/Place and Where | Strength ABV | Colour | Score Components | Score | Descriptive word(s) | Book No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st Mar 2025 at 7:25 pm | bottle | (home), Liverpool, Merseyside, England | 5.30 | medium-golden |
Taste: 71.76% Head: 86.67% Aroma: 44% Ease: 73.33% Clarity: 80% |
39.382% | aromatic-flowery | 1001 |
Community User Reviews
No community reviews yet. Be the first to review this beer!
Other Beers (etc.) by John O'Groat's Brewery
Apart from Liberty Groat, Hop Horizons lists 4 others by John O'Groat's Brewery. These are:
Amber Groat Deep Groat Golden Groat Ruby Groat